For me, an author coach is someone who fulfils several different roles for their client, so when you choose me to be your author coach, you’ll find I come with a lot of different hats!

As your author coach, I will be your cheerleader

Often writers don’t want to show their work to anyone – especially their close friends and family – until it’s finished. That’s fair enough but it also means there’s no one to share your successes with – whether those successes are finishing the first three chapters or overcoming writer’s block halfway through the book. When you work with me as an author coach I will be there to cheer you on all the way!

I’ll be your taskmaster

One of the biggest problems writers encounter is staying focused and completing their book. Life tends to get in the way, other projects become more pressing and your book can be side-lined – sometimes permanently. As your author coach I will be a tough taskmaster, setting you goals and holding you accountable to them. However, because I’m also human and I know how busy life is, I’ll also be flexible enough to help you find a way of working that suits you – rather than sticking to a strict routine.

I’ll be your advisor

As well as writing and publishing my own books, I’ve worked with over a hundred authors and have acquired a huge bank of information about how writing and self-publishing works, As your author coach, I will share my knowledge and experience to help you find the right path on your publishing journey. Every aspiring author has lots of questions about writing, editing, publishing and more and while I don’t profess to know everything – who does? – I will do my best to find answers and solutions.

I’ll be your reviewer

It’s impossible to take an objective view of your own writing. You’re too close to it – it’s your baby – and it can be difficult to see those areas that perhaps don’t quite work or need more development. Conversely, you may not see the sheer genius of your writing because you don’t believe yourself capable of it! As your author coach I will be happy to review each chapter and provide critical feedback to help you make your book as great as it can possibly be. I am an experienced writer myself, and also an avid reader – so I have a good idea of what works.

Finally, I’ll be your very own Mrs Motivator!

Writing a book can be difficult. You might find you get writer’s block or don’t feel confident in your own abilities, or you might just struggle to find the time to commit to your project. As your author coach, I’ll be there to motivate you, keep your spirits up and help you find the time, place and pace that works for you. Together, I know we can get that book written!

So there you have it: for me, the five main roles of an author coach are as taskmaster, cheerleader, advisor, reviewer and motivator. If you have a book in you but need someone to keep you accountable, hold your hand, cheer you on and give you genuinely helpful feedback and advice, take a look at my author coaching programme. This comprehensive programme includes everything you need to take your book from possibility to plan to publication, including unlimited coaching, “done for you” self-publishing and a range of marketing tools.

And if you’re not sure about whether working with an author coach is right for you, you can always take advantage of a free strategy call where we will explore if it’s the right option for you. Wherever you are in the writing process I believe I can help you. Let’s talk!

The post What Does an Author Coach Do? appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

1. Choose a topic you’re both passionate about and knowledgeable in

Writing a book is not easy – it takes time, effort and dedication, and many people give up before their book ever sees the light of day. Sometimes this is because life takes over, but often it’s simply because they lose interest in what they’re writing. So the first of my tips for aspiring writers is to choose a topic you’re passionate about, because it makes the writing process more enjoyable and less of a chore, and your passion will come across in your writing, keeping the reader engaged. And writing about something you’re knowledgeable about makes it easier to get your words down, because you already know almost everything you want to say!

2. Work out WHO you are writing for – and WHY

Once you’ve chosen a topic, you need to work out who you’re writing for. Having a clear picture of your ideal reader means you can speak directly to them. But what is it they want to hear? Why did they pick up your book in the first place? Those are really important questions you need to answer before you start writing. By working out who your reader is and why they are reading your book, you can tailor your content to give them exactly what they want. And if you’re not sure what they want, ask them! A little market research goes a long way.

3. Niche it down

Never be afraid to get really specific. Here’s an example to demonstrate what I mean. Imagine you’re passionate about trains and you want to write a book about all the great trains you’ve spotted and their history. Yes, there are thousands of fellow trainspotters out there who might buy your book, but there are also over 60,000 books about trains on Amazon. Your favourite trains are diesels… but you’re still competing with over 1,000 other books about diesel trains. So, let’s niche it down. Your favourite diesel ever is the Class 47, so how about you write a book just about Class 47s? Suddenly, your book is one of only 20 or so about your favourite train… and while the market will be smaller, you can bet that every brush basher* searching for “Class 47 diesel” on Amazon will definitely buy your book because they’ll be as passionate about them as you are and they’ll want every book ever published!

*Nickname for fans of the Class 47!

4. Make a plan

Some people are pantsers – they just start writing, with no clear idea of where they’re going, and fly by the seat of their pants. And if you can do that, great! But for the rest of us mere mortals, having a plan makes it much easier to get going with the writing process. Start by brainstorming your topic, then group together what comes up into themes and use those as the skeleton for your chapters. You can stop here now you have an idea of what each chapter is about, or you can go into more detail, highlighting three or four key points to cover in each chapter. If there’s anything you’re not sure about, now is a good time to do some research too.

5. Just write!

Perhaps one of the biggest tips for aspiring writers I can offer is to just get started and get writing! As novelist Jodi Picoult once said, “You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page,” and she’s right. Find a regular slot in your diary and make that your writing time. Set a timer for 30 minutes or an hour and bash out as much as you can in that time. Don’t worry too much about the quality of your writing, or the spelling or grammar. You can always go back and edit it later (see tip 7!).

6. Tell people you’re writing a book. NO, REALLY tell people!

Writing a book makes you vulnerable. Whether you’re writing your life story or revealing your passion for Class 47s, there’s something about putting it down on paper that feels like you’re opening up a very personal part of yourself to the public. And lots of authors don’t like to tell anyone they’re writing a book until that book is finished and perfected. They don’t want to share what they’re doing in case they fail. And I get that, I really do. If you get stuck, there’s no reason for you to carry on, because who’s going to know that you ever started writing a book anyway?

And I think that’s why many people do give up – BECAUSE they haven’t told anyone. There’s no accountability, no external motivation to get the book written, so it’s too easy to give up when the going gets tough! Instead, my advice would be to tell people what you’re doing, right from the outset. Tell family and friends, because they will keep you accountable (“How’s the book going?”) and support you along the way. And tell your ideal readers too – the more buzz you create about your book, the more people will buy it on launch day and the better that will be for sales over the book’s lifetime.

7. Don’t edit along the way

Writing is a creative activity; editing is more analytical. And the brain doesn’t like being forced to switch between the two modes. You know when writers talk about ‘being in flow’ – when the words tumble onto the paper and time passes in a flash? You’ll never experience that if you’re checking every sentence to make sure the commas are in the right place! So write during your writing time, and edit when you’re finished. Some people like to edit each chapter as they complete it; others get to the end of the book, set it aside for a while and then do the editing. Do whatever works for you, but do it separately to the writing process. Same goes for research – if there’s anything you need to check up on, highlight it, carry on writing and do the research later.

8. Use beta readers

I’m always amazed how many authors send their manuscript to me for editing without letting anyone else read it first. I can offer my thoughts alongside tidying up the text, but if I’m not their ideal reader then I’m not going to know if the book ‘works’, if it provides what the reader wants, or even if it makes sense! A carefully selected group of people who closely match your ideal reader will be able to give you feedback on what works, what doesn’t, what they need more of and what can go. Make it clear that the book hasn’t yet been edited but you don’t want to know about typos – you’re only interested in their thoughts on the content. And make sure you send it to beta readers before it goes to your proofreader. You don’t want to pay for proofreading, only to change half the content following the beta feedback and have to pay for proofreading all over again!

9. Professional preparation for publication

Some authors think they can do everything themselves – writing, editing, proofreading, formatting, cover design… And yes, some people can, but most of us can’t. For the reader, a book full of errant apostrophes or wonky formatting detracts from the words and gives them a less than enjoyable experience. Likewise, cover design is a vital part of marketing, and homemade covers stand out a mile on the Amazon sales page. After all the effort you’ve put into your writing, you owe it to yourself to invest a little in getting professional help with preparing your book for publication.

10. Promote the hell out of it!

The last of my tips for aspiring writers is about marketing. It never ceases to amaze me how many authors wait until their book is live on Amazon before they think about marketing. Your book is one of a gazillion out there and the chances of anyone finding it by accident are incredibly small, even if you’ve niched right down. Before you’ve even finished the writing you need to be talking about your book in the places where your ideal reader goes, and once it’s finished you want to launch it with a splash. Use social media, go on an author tour, give talks, contact specialist magazines, start a newsletter, speak to local media, look for relevant bricks-and-mortar retailers, make links with connected organisations … There are lots of free and low cost ways to promote your book, so get out there and get marketing!

If you’d like to find out more about how to get your book out of your head, onto paper and into the world, book your free discovery call here.

And for more tips for aspiring writers, you can’t go wrong with reading my book What’s Your Story? Take your non-fiction book from possibility to plan to publication.

The post 10 Tips for Aspiring Writers appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

During our conversation, we discuss the power of saying yes, overcoming fear, being open to opportunities and using coaches and mentors to help you write your memoir. Eileen’s positivity is infectious and it was a joy to chat with her. I hope you enjoy listening too!

More About Eileen Forrestal

Eileen Forrestal (MB BCh BaO FFARCSI), a retired doctor after 32 years, now engages full time in the business she co-founded in 2006, Get Up and Go Publications Ltd, creating and distributing her award-winning inspirational Get Up and Go diaries and journals, with almost 500,000 copies sold worldwide to date. 

Having spent 20 years as an anaesthetist ‘putting people to sleep’, Eileen is now in the business of ‘waking people up’, committed to making a greater impact on personal health and wellbeing with inspiring and encouraging words, rather than with drugs and one pair of hands!!! 

In her memoir “The Courage to Shine: Find Your Voice and Discover the Healing Power of Your Words”, Eileen shares her personal story of ‘waking up’ to the discovery of the source of her own wellbeing and vitality – her own authentic self-expression – her voice! Plagued by a childhood stammer, and afraid to speak for too many years, Eileen is now fully enjoying life as an author, speaker, mentor, coach, publishing entrepreneur and accredited thought leader  and encourages others to overcome their fears, find their true expression and shine their light in the world. 

An avid traveller, she has explored much of this beautiful earth. She describes summiting Kilimanjaro, trekking to Everest Base Camp, flying a microlite over Victoria Falls, riding an ostrich and hypnotising a chicken as special highlights in a very colourful life. 
A native of Dublin, she has lived the best years of her life in Sligo, in the beautiful northwest of Ireland.

Links: 

The Courage to Shine on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IijwRB

www.eileenforrestal.com

www.getupandgodiary.com

The post Eileen Forrestal: The Courage to Shine appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

We also talk about agents and publishers, Mose explains why recording his own audio books was more challenging than he expected, and we discuss the ‘golden hour’ for writing. 

More About Mose J Gingerich 

Mose J Gingerich was born and raised in the Old Order Amish community of Greenwood, Wisconsin. During his 22 years among the Amish, Mose lived in over a dozen Amish communities, teaching school in several of them. Mose is best known for his roles on television shows like UPN’s Amish in the City (2004) and Amish: Out of Order, National Geographic Channel (2012).

In 2021, Mose started an Amish fiction murder/mystery/suspense series. Shadows We Remain was the debut novel and was written in the sleeper of Mose’s big rig while trucking coast to coast. Caroline Creek Chaos is the second book in the Caroline Creek Series and is out July 2022.

Links 

Mose’s website: https://www.amishinthecitymose.com/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mose-J-Gingerich/e/B09DTNDZQ3

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Mose-J-Gingerich/e/B09DTNDZQ3

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mosejgingerich

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSc7G-fq0Y5-_y12HT9suvw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjgingerich/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmishNCity

The post Mose J Gingerich: Murder mysteries in the Amish community appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

Linda never intended to write a book and she explains how it grew organically from personal writing she did as therapy after the death of her father. We also talk about being authentic, writing at your own pace, and using editors and beta readers to make your book as good as it can be.

More About Linda Jämsén 

Linda Jämsén is an American ex-pat writer-musician living in Helsinki. She grew up in New York, holding a book in one hand while exploring the piano keyboard with the other. She graduated with a B.A. in Music from Bard College, and as an avid choral singer has performed in Hungary, Finland, the UK, and Israel. 
For years, she raised funds for a variety of philanthropic causes in Boston, but longing to return to her musical roots, in 2001 she moved to Budapest, land of her musical idol Franz Liszt. Her musical, romantic, and travel adventures abroad inspired her to write Odyssey of Love: A Memoir of Seeking and Finding, her literary debut

Links

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Odyssey-Love-Memoir-Seeking-Finding-ebook/dp/B092LNSG2J

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Love-Memoir-Seeking-Finding-ebook/dp/B092LNSG2J

Linda’s website: https://lindajamsen.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindajamsenauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OdysseyOfLoveBook

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindajamsenauthor/

The post Linda Jämsén, Memoir Writer: Odyssey of Love appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

We talk about the books, films and video games that gave Sean the inspiration for his series of superhero novels. Sean also tells me about the ease of self-publishing with Amazon KDP Print and the sense of achievement he feels about becoming an author.

More About Sean Armstrong

Sean Armstrong is a 36-year-old disabled author who started working on the “Green Girl” series of YA science fiction books in 2019. The first book in the series, “The Green Girl and the Serum” was published in September 2021.

Links: 

Buy The Green Girl and the Serum by STL Armstrong on Amazon UK or Amazon US

Follow Sean on Twitter

Follow Sean on Facebook

The post Sean Armstrong: Disabled British Author of YA Science Fiction appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

We talk about argumentative characters, writing as therapy and the importance of being part of a writing community. Beth also explains why she returned to self-publishing after a period with a traditional publisher, and you’ll learn that it’s never too late to follow your dreams, no matter who you are.

More About Beth Hildenbrand 

Beth Hildenbrand is the author of the Cain series. She lives in Ephrata, Pennsylvania with her family. Beth loves heavy metal, vintage horror movies and coffee. When she is not writing, Beth enjoys spending time with her family.

Links: 

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beth-Hildenbrand/e/B07YW595RS

US: https://www.amazon.com/Beth-Hildenbrand/e/B07YW595RS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beth.hildenbrand.5

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HildenbrandBeth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hildenbrandmary/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19682694.Beth_Hildenbrand

Beth’s author community, Buy The Author: 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/305768954492607/

The post Beth Hildenbrand: mother, grandmother, poet and horror fantasy author appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

However, I know there are some people who still see self-publishing as an inferior option, and many people who would love to win that elusive publishing deal. And there’s nothing wrong with that! Horses for courses, as the saying goes. Whatever works for you.

So, with that in mind, here’s an interesting infographic giving you some great tips on how to win a contract for your book. And if I can help with anything on the list – for example, editing or proofreading your manuscript – you know where to come!

Click the image for a full size version, or scroll down for the text version.

Text version

1. Finish your entire manuscript

Write your whole manuscript before contacting agents or publishers; they won’t even consider you without a full manuscript. You can get away with a proposal if you’re writing non-fiction, but even then, a full manuscript won’t hurt.

2. Write with professionalism

Make sure your work radiates professionalism. That means making the story coherent and clear, the characters unique and believable, and the prose free of spelling and grammatical errors.

​3. Offer something new and interesting

Choose a strong premise and write from the heart. Be passionate and offer a fresh or unconventional perspective.

​4. Get feedback and set high standards

Seek extensive and brutally honest feedback. Take writing classes. Take the time to produce high-quality writing. Don’t settle for “good”; strive for “superb.”

​5. Never stop writing

Your first book is going to be the hardest to get published. It’ll get easier with each subsequent one. Keep writing and sending out query letters.

​6. Hire a professional editor

An editor will assist you with grammar, character development, story arc, and other essential elements. They’re professionals, so they know what they’re doing–they’re worth your money.

​7. Network

Meet agents. Attend literary and writing festivals, go to authors’ conferences, and establish contacts.

8. Personalize your query letter

When writing your query letter, research the agent’s needs, address the agent by name, and explain why your project is right for them specifically. Your query letter should not read as a template.

​9. Secure yourself an agent

Many publishers won’t even look at your submission if you don’t have an agent. Therefore, partnering with an agent is often an essential part of the traditional publishing process.

​10. Fulfil the agent’s requirements

Send whatever the agent requests (e.g., a manuscript synopsis). Not only does this show you’ve done your research, but it also helps the agent assess the submission.

​11. Build up a fan base

Authors are part-time marketers. Build up your followers on social media by posting likable, sharable content. Make sure to tailor your posts to your audience.

​12. Share with your followers

Spread your writing by, for example, offering a short story as a PDF available for download or creating an engaging book trailer for YouTube. Your aim is to go viral!

​13. Write a pitch a publisher can’t refuse

If you’re sending your query letter directly to publishers, be personable and tell them exactly why your book is perfect for them. Tell them about your social media following and how you fit into the industry. Attach your entire manuscript for their convenience, unless they request fewer chapters.

​14. Build an email list while you write

Don’t procrastinate when it comes to marketing. Build up a solid list of people waiting for your book’s release. That way, you’ll sell books from day one.

​15. Design a marketing plan

Authors play a large role in the marketing of their books. Design a marketing plan that works for you and present it to the publisher, showing them you’re serious.

Thanks to www.queryletter.com for use of the infographic and text.

If you need help with any aspect of editing, proofreading or publishing, get in touch!

The post 15 Ways to Win a Publishing Deal appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

Back in 2013 I published my first book, The Boy From Hell: Life with a Child with ADHD, about raising my lovely son Daniel, who has had a pretty challenging life. The book came about after many years of wanting to become an author, and a lot of frustration at proofreading other people’s manuscripts whilst failing to write my own. I didn’t have any great ambitions for selling the book – really I just wanted to get it written and be able to call myself a published author. Even if I was actually a self-published author. Didn’t matter to me.

The book came out, on Amazon, Kindle and Smashwords (Nook, Sony ereader, iBooks etc) and it did pretty well! In about three years it sold  just under 2000 copies across all platforms – not bad considering the average lifetime sales of a self-published book are said to be around 200!

But things were about to change. I was keen to publish a second edition as a lot of regulations around special educational needs had changed, and of course my son’s story had moved on. I was quite happy to self-publish again, but a chance encounter led to me contacting Jessica Kingsley Publishing – perhaps the most renowned publishers of books about special needs –  and asking if they would be interested in my book. And the answer was YES! So on February 21st 2016 the fully updated second edition of my book came out under the JKP label. Now I could truly describe myself as a published author!

However, several years on, my experience with traditional publishing hasn’t been the dream I anticipated. Given that I now have some experience of both traditional publishing and self-publishing, I thought it was time to have a look at the pros and cons of each.

The Pros and Cons of Traditional Publishing

The physical look of the book

Pros: One of the biggest advantages for me of being traditionally published is that my book now looks amazing! OK, I was actually pretty proud of the book anyway. I did the layout and formatting myself, I came up with the cover design (though got a designer to actually do the work) and it looked and felt like a “proper” book.

But when you compare it with the second edition the difference is astounding. The typesetting is really smart, the paper is a much better quality, and the cover is great. I was included in all the decisions re: the cover design – in fact, the end cover is based on a stock image I found – and it definitely wouldn’t look out of place on the shelf at Waterstones!

I was also very lucky in that although my book title is quite controversial, JKP understood the reasoning behind the title and were happy to stick with it.

Cons: Personally, I haven’t had any issues regarding the physical look of the book as a result of going with a traditional publisher. However, I have heard horror stories from other authors who were given no control over the cover design, title or even content of the book.

Marketing and exposure

Pros: When you self-publish, you are responsible for absolutely everything, including getting your book “out there” – and that can be really hard work. Many retailers don’t want to stock self-published books, it’s difficult to get in online catalogues and trying to be noticed among the gazillions of books in the Amazon store is difficult.

With a traditional publisher you do definitely get added exposure. My book is on the Waterstones and WH Smith websites and JKP’s own site as well as on Amazon. As far as I know it is not in any physical bookshops, though it can be ordered far more easily than a self-published book can. I am also confident that I will have more chance of getting local bookshops to stock it under the JKP label than the previous CreateSpace one. That’s something I mean to try in the next few months.

On launch, the publisher sent copies of the book to several well-read bloggers and a couple published reviews on their websites, which was good exposure to a new audience.

Additionally, I benefitted from exposure through JKP’s social media accounts, because when the book was launched they promoted it to their 272,000 Facebook fans and 10,000 Twitter followers across their various accounts. That’s exposure I could never have dreamed of achieving as a self-published author!

Cons: But of course with added exposure comes the possibility that negative feedback could arise – the more people know about your book, the more critics you have! Shortly after the book was published there was an explosion of outrage about the title on JKP’s Facebook page. As a self-published author I’d encountered maybe three or four people who disliked the “boy from hell” idea; now I was being attacked by dozens of people in a very public arena! It was a difficult experience as some of the comments were quite personal. Fortunately friends and family supported me, as did Jessica Kingsley themselves, who were great about the whole thing and even encouraged me to blog about why I called the book what I did. But after three years of generally hearing only good things about the book, it was a real shock to be exposed in this way.

Also, I’ve been very disappointed with the overall marketing for the book. I have heard over and over that even when you are traditionally published, and you’re handing over most of your royalties to the publisher, you don’t get much back in terms of marketing, and that does seem to be the case. Before the book was launched I filled in a big form listing websites, publications and organisations that might be interested in promoting it or interviewing me, but as far as I can tell I never received any sort of promotion in those areas at all. In fact, I’ve had less media exposure since being traditionally published than I was as a self-published author, when I was on local and national radio, in local press, on Sky News and Channel Five and even in Bella magazine! In part it’s my fault – I’ve not promoted the book as much as I used to (and there’s a reason for that – which I’ll explain later), but I was also expecting more of a marketing push from the publishers.

Kudos

Pros: I’m a published author. I AM A PUBLISHED AUTHOR!! There’s a huge amount of kudos involved with being published by a “proper” publisher. Some people still look down on self-publishing or even see it as vanity publishing, and while I was always very proud to tell people that I’d self-published my book, there was always that feeling that actually anyone can be a published author these days. But to be published by a traditional publisher – well, that is a whole different kettle of fish!

Cons: None – except that actually, I haven’t really seen a huge amount of difference in people’s responses to either the book or me as an author since the second edition came out.

Income

Pros: A small deposit in my bank account every six months.

Cons: Based on my experience, income/profit is where traditional publishing falls down compared to self-publishing. Let me explain how it worked for the first three years, when my book was self-published. Every month, without fail, CreateSpace and Kindle would work out the royalties on copies sold and put some money into my bank account. I was earning around 35% commission on paperback copies, and 70% on Kindle sales.  The amounts varied, but on average it worked out at about £150 a month, which was very nice to get, as it basically paid the utility bills each month! (I also got a payment every quarter from Smashbooks for sales of the Nook/Sony Ereader/iBooks formats, but this was literally pounds each quarter. Kindle definitely won the war when it came to ebooks.)

I also bought books at trade price (under £3 a copy) that I sold at speaking and networking events, via eBay and Amazon Marketplace, and via the ADDISS website. I didn’t make a lot of sales this way, but again there was a regular drip of money coming in.

Cut to traditional publishing and all of a sudden that regular monthly income went, because JKP pays royalties twice a year, March and September, and six months in arrears. So in September 2016 I received royalties on sales from Feb to March, and then the March to September payment didn’t come until March 2017, and then every March and September thereafter.

And those payments are tiny, a fraction of what I was earning through Amazon. I think the biggest cheque was for about £470, of which £400 was for the sale of the publishing rights in the Czech Republic. Pretty cool, huh – but it doesn’t really compensate for the fact that most payments are for less than £100 … and this is for SIX MONTHS of sales, whereas I was earning around £150 A MONTH as a self-published author! I have no idea how much I make on each copy – it’s 10% of the profit, but that’s as much as I know. In addition, trade copies are not so cheap to purchase, so I’ve not been selling independently either.

I miss my monthly income – and it was a big factor in me not even bothering to look for a contract for my second book, What’s You Story? Take your non-fiction book from possibility to plan to publication – and beyond.

Control

Pros: As I mentioned earlier, I was lucky in that JKP gave me a lot of control over the look of the book, which I really appreciated. However…

Cons: I’ve never thought of myself as a control freak but I have realised that, when it comes to my books, I am one! One of the toughest parts of switching from self-publishing to traditional publishing is the lack of control I have over my sales figures and pricing. Let me explain.

When you use Amazon’s Kindle Direct Print services, you have total control over sales. You can log in any time you like and see straight away how many sales you’ve made and where, and how much money you’ve earned up till that point in the month. It meant that if I posted a new article about the book, or did some Facebook advertising, or was featured in a magazine, I could track sales and see what sort of impression it made, if any, and then I knew whether or not that particular marketing technique was worth using again.

I was also in control of my pricing – I could raise or lower prices whenever I wanted and use Kindle’s promotional tools to run countdown sales or giveaways. I often timed these to coincide with events like National ADHD Week or family birthdays, or to promote other services I was running, like my ADHD parenting course.

Now, however, I don’t have any control over price or sales figures at all. I was informed that I sold around 500 books in the  first six weeks, which was great, but since then I only find out how many sales I have made every six months (and in fact for the last few years I don’t even get sales figures, just a small bank deposit). I used to be able to tell you exactly how many copies I’d sold – now I don’t have a clue. Every now and then I check the position in the Amazon charts for its category, and for a long while it was stuck around 250th (much lower now though), but every now and then there’s a surge – it made it into the top 20 one weekend and I have no idea how or why! And I don’t have any control over pricing either. Personally I think the Kindle edition is way too expensive at £9.49; I would never buy a Kindle book at that price. Maybe it’s deliberate, to persuade people to go for the paperback version instead – but my ethos was always to make it affordable, so the Kindle version was never more than £2.99 (and often much cheaper). And of course I can’t do giveaways any more because control of pricing lies with the publisher…

In conclusion…

So do I think it was worth handing my book over to a traditional publisher, or should I have continued to self-publish it? It’s a tough one! I do love the fact that I am a “proper” published author now, though I think that’s very much an “in my head” perception rather than anything else, because certainly no one ever criticised me for self-publishing in the first place. I love that I am part of the JKP brand because they are a publisher I admire; I own many of their books and I am proud to have been chosen by them. And the new book looks great, much better than the original, though there was nothing wrong with that either.

The loss of the regular monthly income is an issue. It was really helpful having that payment drop into my account each month, and quite a shock when it didn’t arrive any more.

The issue of lack of control, lack of access to sales figures and being somewhat in the dark about how sales are going – and what’s influencing them – is a problem, and one I’ve struggled to deal with, but it’s just the way it is, I guess. And when I did ask the publisher how many I’d sold on launch, they were quick to tell me – though I know they don’t get info from suppliers on a regular basis, so there’s only so much info they can pass on.

Marketing is also an issue. While there is nothing to stop me promoting the book as I did for the first three years, the lack of access to sales data means it’s impossible to know what works and what doesn’t which leaves me feeling pretty unmotivated to do anything at all. And there has been zero marketing by the publisher since the book came out – so if they aren’t bothering, why should I? (Yeah, I know the answer to that question but…!)

Of course, I do acknowledge that I am very lucky to have been offered a publishing contract, because many authors try for years to get a deal. So on balance, yes I am glad I opted to be traditionally published, because it certainly gives me added kudos as an author. After all, they didn’t have to choose to publish my book! But I don’t think I will ever do it again, and I’m not sure if it would be right for everyone.

There are a few things I wish I’d considered before I signed the contract, and I’ll share them with you now.

1. Be prepared to lose control over your sales figures
2. Continue to do as much marketing as ever
3. Expect more exposure than before – including negative exposure
4. If you rely on the regular income, make plans to replace it
5. Being a “proper” published author doesn’t make you famous!

Have you made the transition from self-publishing to traditional publishing? I’d love to hear what your experience was!

The post The Pros and Cons of Traditional Publishing appeared first on The Proof Fairy.

Jim is a mine of information on technology to help entrepreneurs and he shares with me some really useful tech tools for authors. We also talk about entering book awards, creating merchandise and reader avatars, and Jim explains why writing a book is like running a marathon.  

More About Jim James

Jim has built businesses from a suitcase on 3 continents over 25 years, all using public relations. His first brush with #gettingnoticed was at 18 when he jumped out of a plane in return for sponsorship and received expedition equipment in return for media publicity. He hasn’t stopped this model of brand+business building ever since.

Having grown up in Europe, Africa and America, it was perhaps inevitable that Jim would move to Singapore at the age of 28 to start his first company, EASTWEST Public Relations. Since 1995 the B2B agency opened offices in Singapore, China, India and the UK serving over 500 clients. In China between 2006–2019, Jim built the business importing and distributing Morgan Motor Company cars, was interim CEO of Lotus, Vice Chair of the Chamber of Commerce and a number of other profit and not for profit ventures including the bi-annual British Business Awards. He is particularly proud of being the home room parent at the school of his daughters, and serving on the food committee which replaced sugary drinks with milk in the cafeteria.

Jim returned with his young family to the UK in June 2019 to provide his daughters with a British education, and works with clients to ensure that they are able to get noticed for all that they do, and helps companies to enter the Asia market. He hosts “The UnNoticed Show,” a podcast for entrepreneurs with tools and tips for public relations, and has created the SPEAK|pr course providing a structured approach to getting noticed.

Links

The UnNoticed Entrepreneur book: 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09C8GDFZ3/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Connect with Jim James: https://linktr.ee/jimajames

The post Jim James, curator of “The UnNoticed Entrepreneur” appeared first on The Proof Fairy.